


Running Out of Time

by mggislife2789



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Gen, Interrogation, Kidnapping, Motherhood, Physical Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-06
Updated: 2018-03-06
Packaged: 2019-03-27 22:50:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13890801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mggislife2789/pseuds/mggislife2789
Summary: Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters or their original stories. This is only for fun. It's where my brain goes after the credits roll. No copyright intended. Better safe than sorry. ;)





	Running Out of Time

“Who plays good cop, who plays bad cop?” JJ asked. 

The woman in the other room had very obviously been brainwashed by her husband. There were no recent bruises on her, but it was safe to say that he hadn’t needed to resort to physical measure to control her in quite some time. “She is completely devoted to her husband,” Matt said. “For me to play good cop won’t do any good. She won’t listen to another man other than her husband. I don’t want to scare her - not that kind of bad cop, but if I make her question her belief in her husband, that might leave her open to you playing good cop.”

“Are you sure?” She was wary of doing the wrong thing. 

Madeline Hardy and her husband Samuel had already killed one child when they’d been cornered. Samuel managed to escape with little Charlie Albertalli and if they felt backed into a corner again, Charlie would die. Honestly, they couldn’t tell whether or not he was already dead. 

“I’m not sure of anything, but I think it’s our best bet. I can guarantee you she won’t listen to me no matter what stance I take; she’s too controlled by her husband to think of betraying him. We have to use the son they lost against her - you do.” Matt was hesitant to go in, say the wrong thing and have this child turn up dead because of it, but they were running out of time and options. This was the best one they had.

“Alright,” JJ acquiesced. “Let’s go.”

Following JJ inside, Matt put on his best angry face. Even in the face of some of the worst unsubs, his desire was to save as many lives as possible - theirs included, so trying to act the opposite of what felt natural was always difficult, but it was what he needed to do right now. “Where is Charlie Albertailli?” Matt asked roughly, pulling the metal chair out from the table in such a way that resounded throughout the small room and sent shivers up his spine.

Madeline played innocent, claiming she knew no Charlie and only had one son by the name of Bradley. Bradley was her son, but he died years ago, taken tragically by a particularly wicked case of pneumonia. “My husband and I have one son. Bradley. He and Samuel are having a father-son day today.”

JJ noticed the soft smile on the woman’s face; that seemed to be a genuine statement, which meant they probably weren’t wide out in the open for fear of being caught, but they probably weren’t in hiding either. “Mrs. Hardy, your son is gone. He died three years ago.”

“Why would you say that?!” She screamed, tears springing to her eyes. “He’s fine.”

She looked down as she said. She knew he was gone. 

“Where is Charlie?” Matt asked again. He defaulted to his gentle tone of voice, changing things up mid-questioning, but it didn’t work. Again, she denied even knowing who Charlie was. “Where is Charlie Albertalli?!” He screamed, slamming his fist onto the table so hard even JJ got startled.

That was the thing with profilers. They were all so good at their jobs that it was hard to determine even amongst themselves whether or not they were acting. “Agent Simmons, take a walk!” JJ said firmly. 

“Why would he say such a thing? Why would he say my Bradley is dead?” Madeline cried. “My son is perfectly healthy and safe with my husband.”

JJ soothed out the woman’s frazzled nerves. “I know. I know. And Agent Simmons was completely out of line. Can we just talk, you and I? Mother to mother?”

Madeline wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. “Okay sure.”

At first, JJ covered the picture of Charlie, instead asking the woman to tell her about her son. “Bradley is a smart boy,” she said fondly. “He’s so kind to others. The definition of a mama’s boy - always by my side.”

“I have a son like that, Henry,” JJ said softly, thankful to be given the opportunity to think about her boy in the midst of such chaos. It was a break from the extreme tension to see her own eyes staring back at her through a boy she loved more than her own life. “He’s the light of my life.”

Nodding, Madeline started to tear up again. JJ could see that she was starting to waver. “You would do anything for your son, right Madeline?”

“Yes,” she said, her voice quivering before she broke out into a full sob. “I would’ve done anything for him.”

It was now or never. 

“Madeline, Charlie’s mother and father are desperate to have their son back…they’re conducting search parties. They haven’t slept in days. All they want is to see their sweet son’s face again. Wouldn’t you give anything to see Bradley one more time?” 

Taking the picture, Madeline shook with fear. “We just wanted our boy back. Samuel said this was the only way to get him back.”

“I know,” JJ replied, placing her hand gently over Madeline’s. “Samuel has told you a lot of things. Most of which aren’t true. Allow Charlie’s parents to see their boy again, the way that couldn’t be done for you.”

“I…”

JJ could feel how much she wanted to say something, but fear was holding her back. “Look at me,” JJ instructed, her eyes still soft though so desperate for answers. “Samuel will not be able to hurt you. We will protect you from him. Do for Charlie what you couldn’t do for Bradley.”

For a moment, JJ thought she’d lost the other mother, but then she spoke. “Samuel took him to his grandfather’s old cabin on the outskirts of town,” she breathed. She shook with the force of her fear and anger and frustration. “We only recently acquired it, so it’s not in our name yet.”

“Thank you.”

Looking toward the two-way mirror, Matt nodded and breathed a sigh of relief. It still wasn’t over; they had to get Charlie out alive, but without pulling the answers that they needed from Madeline, the young boy wouldn’t have stood a chance. 

JJ stayed behind with Madeline to follow through on her promise of protection. Samuel would be brought in whether or not they found Charlie and she was petrified that he was going to kill her. “I betrayed him. I betrayed him,” she kept saying.

Charlie’s parents stood nearby the elevators, hearts dropping with ever door that opened to not reveal their son.

“Mommy!”

“Charlie!”

Besides a small bruise on the side of his face, Charlie seemed to be okay. Samuel however had immediately found his wife, barreled away from Rossi who’d been the one to take him in, and ran toward her screaming. “You bitch! What did I tell you-?”

He was wrenched back by Matt who smashed him into the wall. “There is nothing I hate more than an abuser. Please, make another move.”


End file.
